What happened before the lesson?

Where did the idea come from? 
The book, Five Creatures was a good prompter!

What had the children learned BEFORE this lesson? 
Children knew how to use their fingers to count.

What did you plan to do AFTER this lesson?
Continue to relate number quantity to height in unifix block towers. Later in the year, children will count the number of creatures in their family. For now, they will just compare towers. Children will continue to add pages to new books if the number of creatures change in their family. 

The book Five Creatures by Emily Jenkins presents the number FIVE and in most places as a part of the whole story.

What's happening during the lesson?

Objective: Children will compare the number of creatures in their family with the number in one of their peers.

Introduction:
Read Five Creatures by Emily Jenkins and ask children to use their fingers to check the answers.

Procedure:

1. Children draw a picture of all the creatures in their house, both animals and humans.
2. Children match one unfix cube to each creature. 
3. When they are finished, they stack the unifix cubes one on top of each other and make a tower. 
4. They then work with partners and compare their towers to see who has MORE creatures.
5. Their individual pages are then put in one of four books: 2 creatures, 3 creatures, 4 creatures, 5 creatures, or 6 or more creatures.

Children draw a picture of all the creatures that live in their house and match one unifix cube to each creature.

What will I do after the lesson?

How did your plans change as you taught this lesson?
I have often used this book to talk about parts of the quantity five. This was the first time I used it at the beginning of the year and matched the unifix cubes in this way. I loved the change and the way it worked!

How would you describe the teaching that occurred using the words on the Continuum of Teaching Behaviors? 

I FACILITATED when the children worked on their own pages for the book, offering short-term assistance when they needed it.

A set of class books are made. One is titled 2 creatures, one 3 creatures, one 4 creatures, one 5 creatures and one entitled 6 creatures or more. Children pictures are then placed in the books and left in the library for all to enjoy. Note: The books are made so they can be added if a new puppy or baby sister arrives!